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Help needed Saturday for ‘Field of Dreams’

Thanks to the voters in the Broken Bow school district, the dream of building a new and improved elementary school is coming true. Now one local organization is working to complete that dream, and they need your help. “Little Feet, Big Dreams” is the name of the campaign that has been launched to achieve those final touches on the school project that the bond does not cover - namely quality flooring and equipment for the new gym, and playground equipment at North Park School. The committee also has long-range plans of renovating the Middle School gym as a performing arts center. A number of fundraisers have taken place during the last few months, and this Saturday everyone in the community will be given an opportunity to pitch in and help. The project is called “Field of Dreams”, and entails using corn as a cash crop for the school - literally! Frank Govier & Sons has agreed to donate the crop from one of their corn fields to be picked up. A combine has already gone through the field, and now volunteers are needed to go out and pick up the ears. Plains Equipment and Red Line Equipment have both agreed to donate the use of equipment for the project, though committee member Janice Nozicka points out that for safety sake no combines or large equipment will be used in the field that day. Everyone - both children and adults - is encouraged to participate in the corn pick-up fundraiser. As the ears are picked up and gathered in tubs, they will be dumped in an adjacent field. Howard Transportation will then come in and grind the corn, and deliver it to the buyers. Jacobson Rental and Store More are donating the use of dump trailers. Adams Land & Cattle Co. has offered to market the corn for the group, and once they have the buyers lined up Howard Transportation trucks will make the deliveries. Both Howard Transportation and ALCC are donating their services for the project. Mead Lumber has donated 5-gallon buckets which will be used to collect the ears from the ground. And the best part is, 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the corn will go to the North Park Elementary facilities projects. “This is a great opportunity for those who can’t write a big check for this project to contribute as well, by giving a few hours of your time to help,” Nozicka says. “This is a community effort, and this project gives everyone - regardless of their financial situation - the chance to help.” The corn picking will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 10. Volunteers will meet at the bus barn west of the Middle School, with buses departing at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. For those who can only give a shorter amount of time, buses will return at 10:30 a.m. and then at the end of the picking day, at 2 p.m. “We wanted to be sure and get everyone back in time for the Husker game,” Nozicka smiles. The committee requests that K-5 students be accompanied by an adult, “but there’s nothing that says an adult can’t bring six kids!” Nozicka laughs. She says this is designed to be a great family event. The idea for picking corn as a fundraiser cropped up during a meeting of the Little Feet Big Dreams committee Oct. 26. Nozicka says the idea took off pretty quickly. “There is too much corn in the field for the farmers to put cattle out on it,” she explains. “They have already combined it and done what they can with it, and now it’s just laying there.” With crop damage from the winds a few weeks ago, there are a number of farmers with corn fields that are not able to be harvested. This created a golden opportunity for a project like Field of Dreams. But the real key to the success of the project will be the volunteers who come out to help pick. Nozicka says they need at least 100 people Saturday to make this work. Lunch will be provided for those working in the field, made possible by Tumbleweed Cafe. Those planning to attend are urged to RSVP to Alberta at 308-872-6821 or by email at acrawle@bbps.org by Friday, Nov. 9, so they can have a count for lunch. Volunteers are reminded to dress appropriately: boots or heavy shoes, long pants, long sleeves, leather gloves and layered clothing for changing weather. “We realize not everyone has the ability to make a financial contribution to the school project, so we wanted to come up with a way anyone could help,” Nozicka explains.